Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1887-06-23
GODS BOOK.

The Bible the MIcrocosm Of Literature
The Best Possible Example of Much In
Little.
The Bible is the best possible example
of much in little. Not SO large that it
can not easily be carried, handled and
read, it is yet large enough to contain
an immense variety of styles. and an
afiluent abundance of the lyric, the
pastoral. the Geographic, the historic,
the parabolic, the prophetic, the phil
osophic, the theologic and the practical
elements. Browning calls man the
microcosm of creation. and surely we
may call the Bible the microcosm of
literature. Beyond doubt it will be
safe to say that there is no good book OF
any kind outside the Bible. which, if it
have not its roots inside the sacred
pages. has not something there respon-
sive and answerable to it. The eyes
of good portrait follow the spectator
wherever he stands, to look him eX-
actly in the face; and so, whoever a
man may be. and whatever his case.
the Ri BILE squarely confronts him with
its warning if he be doing i'll. its war;
ranty if he be doing well. and its wis
dom under any, and for all, circum-
stances.
twas the supsrintendcncc of the
Divine Spirit, extended over every LETT
ter and every line of each detached
portion. until all were brought togeth-
GER 10 form one volume; covering thus.
with His brooding wings. every utter
ance. from that which claimed the
first pcn-mark of the Pentateuch to
the concluding Amen of the Apoc-
alypSe; clectin@, from the innumera-
ble aud interminable treatises that
might have been written, the dense
tractateS that were written-which
has made the book mans book. book
adapted to man in all his tribes and
families, in all zones and longitudeS,
all races. diSpersions and civilizations
To have enormously expanded the his
toric GoSpels-as it would have been
the most affcctionately natural thing
in the world for the apostles and early
Christians to have done-would have
been TO diSproportion the whole. En-
parience has proved that-just as it is.
poetry and prose, prophecy and pre-
cept and history. Old Testament and
New togethcr-it is SO wonderfully rs
80 be self-eyident that it is divinely.
adapted to human nature and human
,,A...-st;n. IT., L., ~ = ton that -
has the prestige of being . sacred.
Heaven-sent volume; but on the
othcr hand. it is clear
that, had such a Fictitious eleva-
ton been bestowed upon an undeserv-
ing book. it would only have served.
in the end. to tumble it into an abyss
of popular contempt whose depth
should only be measurable by that Of
the eentras;ed height to which it had
been mnwarrantably lifted. That the
Koran and the Shasters. and the Nor
non Bible have been devoutly believed
e. be sky-descended. has not CON-
WINGED the common sense of the world
that they are not impudent impostures.
Gods Book-thus divinely COM
pressed and proportional - keeps
steadily on with the ages States have
heen founded on its principles. and
kingdoms everywhere have waxed or
w;saed. and lived or died. as they have
observed or proved false to its maxims
of civil health and righteousness.
kings have ruled and princes deereed
Justice by compacts and codes which
have bean more or less the outSrowth
of its declarations of the inherent and
eternal principles of ri ghteousness; and
the end-in prosperity or adversely
has always justified its words. Not a
revolution has agitated the peoples
whose coming it did not predict
which obedience to its mOnitions would
not have prevented. Not war has
clouded the heavens with its battle
smoke. and Redeemed the fields with its
cruel carnage, which j: did not fore